It has been estimated that the labour of 19.8 persons (200 per hectare) is needed for a tambu of mulberry field.  The silkworms hatched from a card of eggs (laid by 100 moths) are supposed to call for the labour of 49.2 persons (1,456 per kilo, 2.204 lbs.)

The production of cocoons rose from 0.866 koku per card in 1914 to 1.105 in 1918, or from 4,412,000 to 6,832,000.

More than three-quarters of the raw silk produced used to be exported.  Now, with the increase of factories in Japan (the figures are for 1918), only 67 per cent, goes abroad, the bulk of it to the United States, which obtained from Japan, in 1917-18, 75 per cent., and in 1919, it has been stated, 90 per cent, of its total supply.  About 28 per cent, of the world’s consumption is supplied by Japan.  Whereas in 1915 the output of raw silk was 5,460,000 kwan valued at 217,746,000 yen, it was in 1918 7,891,000 kwan valued at 546,543,000 yen.  While in 1915-16 the percentage of Japanese exporters to foreign exporters was 64-4, it had risen in 1919-20 to 77.5.  Against 450 cho of mulberries in 1914 there were in 1918 508,993 cho.  The total export of raw silk and silk textiles to all countries in 1920 was 382 and 158 million yen respectively.  In 1919, 96 per cent. of the raw silk Japan exported went to the United States and 46 out of 101 million yens’ worth of exported silk textiles (habutal).  Japan’s whole trade with the United States is worth 880 million yen a year.  But the proportion of basins in the factories steadily increases.  There are nearly five thousand factories, big and little.  A well-informed correspondent writes to me:  “You know of course of the big organisation subsidised by the Government to control prices and not to make too much silk.  The truth is the silk interest became too powerful and the Government is not a free agent.”

TUBERCULOSIS [XL].  Phthisis and tuberculosis sweep off 22 per cent, and bronchitis and inflammation of the lungs 18 per cent., or together more than a third of the population.  See also Appendix LXIX.

WOMEN WORKERS [XLI].  In addition to women and girls working in agriculture, in the mines, in the factories and & trades there are said to be 1,200,000 in business and the public services.  Teachers number about 52,000, nurses 33,000, midwives 28,000 and doctors 700.

FACTORY FOOD AND “DEFIANCE OF HYGIENIC RULES” [XLII].  Dr. Kuwata says in the Japan Year-book (1920-1) that “in cotton mills where machinery is run day and night it is not uncommon when business is brisk to put operatives to 18 hours’ work.  In such cases holidays are given only fortnightly or are entirely withheld.  The silk factories in Naganoken generally put their operatives to 14 or 16 hours’ work and in only a small portion are the hours 13.”